More Truths About Kuchiki Byakuya
by sakura rakuen
Summary: After months of laziness; I've posted chapter 3! This is the long awaited sequel to Twenty Truths About Kuchiki Byakuya. Hope you enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**More Truths About Kuchiki Byakuya**

21. "Byakuya-bo!"

Sighing, Byakuya excused himself from his lessons and headed toward the main entrance, where a servant had already let Yoruichi in.

"Yoruichi-san," he said carefully, knowing what the smirk on her face meant. "Why are you here?"

"Why do ya think, Bya-kun? I beat you at flash tag, and you beat me at sparring, so we have to have a tie breaker!" she said as if indicating the obvious.

"I understand _that_," he answered. "But why in the middle of my french lesson?"

She snorted. "As if you're upset. C'mon, I found the perfect contest!"

---

"Mother, I am leaving with Yoruichi. We will be back in time for supper." Byakuya bowed.

"It's not another one of your infamous contests, is it?" she asked warily.

"Nope!" Yoruichi clambered in, grinning.

"You'll have to learn to be a better liar if you are to take over the Omitskidou," she laughed, but let them go anyway.

---

"Why are we in Rukongai?" Byakuya asked curiously.

"Oh, it's not _so_ bad..."

"And in the twelfth district, no less," he remarked.

"Bya-kun!" she huffed indignantly.

"Fine, fine..."

"Here we are!" she shouted joyfully, causing even more people to stare. He couldn't blame them. Two finely-dressed heirs from prestigious noble houses...out in Rukongai searching for a restaurant.

Ignoring the multitude of peasants that tried to sell them useless trinkets, they walked into a place claeed _Ao Yama_.

---

"Welcome to our fine establishment," a greasy-looking man with a ruddy face came over, dressed in a bloody apron and holding a grubby notebook. "What'll it be?"

Byakuya was appalled.

"Yoruichi-" he began, but she cut across him.

"Two plates of your spiciest stuff, please!" she ordered. The man gave her an odd look, but scribbled the order down and left.

"What did you just do?"

"Oh, come _on_, Byakuya-bo! We're going to see which one of us can handle the spiciest food!" she said happily.

"..."

"I bet your face is gonna get all red!" she giggled. He sighed. It was moments like these when his pride stopped his logic.

"Alright, you're on. What are the stakes?"

"Loser pays for everything!" she cheered.

Just then, the man arrived with two heavy platters of sushi and noodles loaded with shichimi.

"Here y'are." he grunted.

"Dig in, Bya-kun!" Yoruichi laughed.

---

"Stop it, Byakuya!" Yoruichi screamed five minutes later. She was drowing an entire jug of water and panting frantically, trying to fan her burning face. "How d'you do it?!"

"I simply chew the food, then swallow," he shrugged. This stuff wasn't bad at all, he'd have to ask the head cook to import these peppers later.

"THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER!" Yoruichi was on her third jug of water.

"It is for me," Byakuya ate another pice of sushi. "I'm going home," he stood up.

"Hey, come back here!"

"Oh, right," he paused at the door. "I forgot...you have the bill."

With that, he left an indignant Yoruichi and a stack of platters behind.

---

"Mother, I would like the cook to start importing Red Sovina Peppers."

"I see. All right."

---

A/N: Okay, 1st: shichimi is a spice, since most japanese foods aren't naturally spicy. And Red Sovina Peppers are the third most spicy peppers in the world. Hehe...Byakuya finally beat Yoruichi.


	2. Chapter 2

**More Truths About Kuchiki Byakuya**

22. "Senbonzakura. A single blade, dissolving into a thousand. Each blade reflects the light, giving the illusion of cherry petals."

That sentence was what Ukitake had decided to describe Senbonzakura as. Byakuya felt his zanpakuto's spirit rise angrily at being so blandly classified, but he calmed her immediately.

"Well, Byakuya." Ukitake grinned. "I mean, Kuchiki-san, your office is just down the hall. Um...you can eat whenever you like, as long as you don't spill crumbs on the tatami mats...and your first mission will be tomorrow. Meanwhile, you could train or-"

"I have already trained," Byakuya replied cooly. "Rest assured that I will be ready for tomorrow's assignment."

He left, not bothering to look back. Ukitake's expression of shock and amusement wasn't all that interesting, anyway.

---

_"Byakuya."_

He didn't look up; instead he continued to organize the documents from the last hollow attack. When Senbonzakura's reiatsu rose, however, he had to look up.

"Yes?"

_"You do realize that tomorrow will be your first time using me in battle, right?"_

Now that he thought about it, he had only used Senbonzakura when he trained, never in a real fight. He had relied on his kidou for that.

_"Byakuya, you know why they've given you such powerful opponents. Don't pretend you don't." _her voice rose.

He felt he had no choice but to answer.

"Because the Clan suspects that I've achieved bankai, and is willing to force me to use it." he recited in a monotone.

_"Exactly. It is your choice whether you will actually summon me, but-"_

"Enough. I know the stakes. I know what the risks are, and what the consequences of my actions would be. And I've already decided."

He felt her angry glare when she saw his choice, but then he faced her and was met with a quick smile and an approving nod.

---

The next morning, Byakuya rose early in an attempt to avoid the Clan members who would undoubtedly give him the "bring honor to our Clan" lecture. Unfortunately, the aforementioned members had already risen, and had ordered the servants to prepare an especially lavish breakfast, more so than Byakuya was accustomed to.

After he had eaten, they gave him a clipped speech in which he quickly translated to mean, "If you lose, you'll regret it."

Donning the keisenkan, he took Senbonzakura from her case and left.

---

Ukitake was already at the gate.

"Tell me, does the captain usually join a new recruit on their first mission?" Byakuya asked dryly.

Ukitake looked a bit sheepish.

"Byakuya, I'm only here to handle the situation if it gets out of hand." he said quickly.

_"The Clan asked him to go, to verify if you use bankai." Sanbonzakura whispered._

_"I see you've been delving into other's minds again." Byakuya retorted. She blushed faintly and didn't answer._

"So, let's go!" Ukitake stepped through the gate, and Byakuya followed suit.

---

They landed in the middle of a busy street in Tokyo. Ukitake led the way to where Twelfth Division had predicted the gillians would appear, which turned out to be a Church. By the look of the chipped paint and broken windows, it was being refurbished.

"Remember, Byakuya, I'm here if you can't control the hollows." Ukitake flash-stepped to a beam on the ceiling, where he sat down comfortably and offered a cheery wave. Byakuya resisted the urge to laugh or roll his eyes; those things would have been unacceptable in any circumstances.

Keeping his face impassive, he extended his reiatsu to sense the hollows and found out that one was waiting in the shadows right behind Ukitake.

One shunpo and a few muttered words later, the hollow was restrained by six rods of light. Unfortunately, he had skipped the entire incantation, so the rikujokoro wasn't as effective as it should've been. The smirking hollow broke free.

Byakuya employed a shunpo, known as kurama, to appear behind it.

"Hadou no sanjyuu-ichi: Hinote no shiro."

White flames erupted from his fingertips, forming thin ropes around the beast. It struggled, but Byakuya only tightened his grip. Then he drew Senbonzakura with his other hand and leaped. The impact of his blade crushed the thing's skull, and it vanished.

Ukitake whistled in appreciation.

"Pretty good, Byakuya! Keep this up and you'll be a captain as soon as you reach bankai!"

_"If that was somehow supposed to compell you to release me into final form, that was pathetic."_ Senbonzakura huffed.

Byakuya ignored both of them and focused on the other two hollows he knew were on either sides of him, cleverly hidden.

"Bakudo no hachi: Hagane toride," came his calm voice.

Massive iron pillars rose from the ground, encasing each hollow. They roared and tried to escape, but he quickly shunpoed to the top of the walls and took one out with white lightning. The other managed to survive his attack with only a cracked mask.

"Quite the shinigami, aren't ya?" it leered, speaking in a rough voice. Before he could do anything, it opened its jaws and leaped.

Instinctively, Senbonzakura was out, the only thing between him and the hollow's jaws. The ground was coming into view fast, and Byakuya had only a few seconds. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ukitake drawing his zanpakuto.

'This is my fight, captain." he spoke quietly, but his voice carried throughout the entire structure nontheless.

He hit the ground then, his sandals digging into the ground as he fought to keep the hollow at bay. The creature's yellow eyes flared with red for an an instant, and it grinned maliciously.

"What's wrong, shinigami? Don't know yer sword's name? it drawled.

"No, I am merely disinclined to summon it,"

"Such a cold shinigami. I heard the fiery ones are more fun to eat, they keep fightin' till the end."

Byakuya saw an opportunity. This hollow was obviously new at its position.

"Tell me, have you ever faced a shinigami?"

"I wouldn't call it that. I've eaten three, if that what ya mean."

"Of what rank?" anger flared in him as he recognized this hollow as the one on recent reports; the one who had caused an earthquake in the living world. It had resulted in the deaths of two young girls, sisters; and the defeat of the academy shinigami assigned for konso. Thankfully, the two spirits had been sent to Soul Society, but the students had perished.

"Doesn't matter, they're dead now, ain't they? They were crispy, that's all I remem-"

He saw his chance. Shunpoing behind the hollow, he plunged Senbonzakura into the back of its skull. A sickening crunch resulted as the entity screeched with pain. Its cries were soon gone, along with it.

Ukitake landed, clearing his throat.

"It seems we've caught the hollow responsible for last year's attack. That case has been dropped until now. Good work, Byakuya."

---

Once he was back in his office, ignoring the Clan's inquisitions about his day, he rifled through the paperwork until he found what he was looking for.

_Hollow: Unknown, has been confirmed to be gillian level._

_Damage: Five buildings; a total of 14 acres._

_Casualties (Humans): Two sisters. Suri Hisana and Suri Rukia._

_Casualties (Shinigami): Three shinigami recruits. Honona Ishiisako, Chijiika Nobu, and Dewaru Kae._

He didn't bother to read further.

_"Hisana...I've heard that before..."_

---

**A/N: OK****: 1-Rikujokoro was that spell that Byakuya used on Renji. The one that has six beams of light that look like giant petals, and they surround the victim.**

**2-Kurama means wheel. I made it up to mean that kind of shunpo where you turn around mid-way and end up behind your enemy.**

**3-Hadou no sanjyuu-ichi... that whole line means: "Hadou number 31, white fire".**

**4-Bakuto no hachi... that line means "Bakuto number 8, iron fortress".**

**5- I'm sorry for taking so long! I've been logging on about once a week, but I've had major writer's block, so the little time I had to write wasn't enough. I'm trying the best I can. Plus, its homecoming week, so I've been busy. I haven't decided on whether to go to the dance yet. It just feels retarded this year, they made it a western theme. What am I supposed to do, show up wearing a chaps and a bandanna? Have me date pick me up in a pony? Sorry, I'm ranting. But I just don't like western themes. Cowboys and stuff bore me.**

**6-You see what cruel irony the world has? I get writer's block for weeks, and **_**now**_** I'm suddenly addicted to typing! How unfair is that? Even my **_**author's note**_** is freakishly long!**

**7-I'm working on Twenty Truths About Ishida...[spoiler...Ryuuken! I love that guy! (I'm posting it December 14th by the latest.)**


	3. Chapter 3

**More Truths About Kuchiki Byakuya**

23. He hears the same statement all the time. Mostly its on his visits to the Shinigami Academy, where the new recruits are simply too naive for their own good. But he still hears older and wiser shinigami say it. Even seated officers repeat that phrase.

"I wish I could fly."

Their voices are tainted by longing, pouting with disappointment. Imagining themselves soaring through the air...the divine ability bestowed upon a select few.

People were constantly wishing for the gift of flight; yet they did not know the pain of sprouting wings.

But he did.

It was shortly after he had lost Hisana. To anyone who looked at him, whether they knew him or not, he would have been perfectly composed. Sitting in his office, finishing paperwork. Returning to the manor for a meeting with the elders. Training with Senbonzakura in the main garden.

"You miss her."

It was a statement, not a question, so he didn't bother to answer.

"What would you do to see her again, I wonder," Senbonzakura said tauntingly.

"Anything."

The word escaped him before he could draw it back in. This seemed to take his sword by surprise. She materialized in front of him and smiled placidly.

"We'll see."

She guided him, and he indulged her.

"Bankai."

A splitting pain in his shoulder blades brought him to his knees. He heard the snapping of bones as what felt like white-hot metal erupted from his back. He felt the form shaping into something, all the while feeling like his flesh was being twisted into something he would not like to see.

He felt his stoic facade begin to crack. If this carried on; he would-

It stopped. He stood up gingerly, quickly rearranging his features into the icy expression he was famous for.

Wings. A pair of golden wings.

He stared at Senbonzakura.

"Oh, don't look at me like that," she scoffed. "You still have a lot to learn about me, I suppose, but I'm patient."

And with a curt nod and a burst of reiastu, he took off. The wind cut at his skin and made his eyes water. He noticed that Senbonzakura had followed him, gracefully trailing cherry petals behind her.

He was soaked from passing through clouds, and his fingertips were turning blue from cold, but he refused to stop. He wanted; selfishly, childishly, hopelessly; to see her again.

Senbonzakura was right behind him now. He only picked up speed, ignoring his aching muscles and his raw skin. How long had he been up here? It did not matter; time flowed around him; it did not affect him here. Up here, he truly felt like a God.

So why hadn't he been able to save the one thing that-

Suddenly, he felt the wings splinter. Blood gushed out of his back; infecting the crisp air with it's metallic scent. And he was falling.

He closed his eyes to stop the wind from tearing them up. That's what he told himself; that the wetness in his eyes was nothing more than the effect of the wind's velocity.

A net of cherry blossoms caught him, slowing down his fall. He landed on his feet, sword in hand and fragmented wings still behind him. Golden shards lay around his feet. He cast Senbonzakura a look that she translated as an apology, and fell.

And that was how the Clan found him.

He awoke several hours later. He registered that he was bandaged and in a plain black silk yukata.

"Byakuya-sama," Mogi began delicately.

"We demand an explanation," Tadao finished crudely.

Unohana's reiatsu was nowhere nearby. So he was lying in the Kuchiki infirmary; not Fourth Division. He was grateful that his subordinates had at least that much sense. He cast them a disdainful glance and saw that they merely stared back stubbornly.

"What does it look like?" he replied coldly. "I was injured during Bankai training. One cannot always hope to contain a zanpakuto."

"We thought you had already achieved Bankai," Tadao responded harshly. He shrank back from the poison in Byakuya's glare.

"I must return to my Division," he cast off the covers and flash stepped out. Once back in his room, he retrieved his uniform and captain's haori, and left.

"Inexhaustible, aren't you?" Senbonzakura appeared again. "I actually thought you would give your wounds a bit more time to heal."

"Why did you let me fall?"he asked abruptly.

"I _caught_ you." she replied immediately. "_You_ let yourself fall."

He knew she wasn't talking about the bankai incident anymore.

**A/N: I realize it's been a long time. I haven't updated in months, and I'm sorry. But once it's summer, I should be getting back to a more reasonable schedule. Mainly; six-hour sessions online.**


End file.
